Please join us at the upcoming 2nd Annual Hala Festival, a community celebration of hala and its deep cultural significance in Hawaiʻi. This Free event is a collaboration between the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) and Pōhaku Pelemaka 501c(3) non profit, and will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Makuʻu Market from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm.

Our theme this year is “Ka makani hali ʻala o Puna” or The wind bearing fragrance of Puna.

The Hala Festival will be a day of learning, sharing, and celebrating the many uses of hala—from weaving and lei making to storytelling and more. Alongside workshops, the festival will feature live music, cultural talks, food and craft vendors, and educational booths focused on protecting hala from invasive species like hala scale and coconut rhinoceros beetle. For more information please visit https://halafest.com/#home or email us at aloha@pohakupelemaka.org